Automatic display sign



` E. H. McGEE.-

AUTOMATIC msmv SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26, 192|. 1 ,430,394, PatentedSept, 26, 1922.

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I Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

E. H. McGEE.

AUTOMATIC DISPLAY SIGN. MPuc/Tlon FILED ocr. 2e. i921.

detinitely.

Patented sept. ze, 1922.`r

- EUGENE 1L MCGEil-CHIQAGQ, lLLWOISLLASSlGNO-R-ornamenten "BARCHARD AND ONE-swam. Temes E Mae-Farm sont or Gammo;

' @midis-1 lapping-tion .inea ,l pagina@ ze i le2 To arZZswz-om may, concern# citi/:zent of the. UnitedStates, andV a resid-ent oi' Chicago, CookCounty, and Stateol Illiiio,is,,jhavey inventedy certain new` #and useful Improv'einents'lin. lrntomaticnisplay Signs, ofwvhich the following' is.'4 declared. zto bena ullycleai,and.exactfdescription f i This invention relates to automatic.;dis#l play signs, and its principal.objectlistoipro;. vide av non-tra-nsparent,*leXible sign strip; or ribbonV provided with. .transparent portions, as rforinstance'il Words, lette-rs, y'charac-ters orv other display. nutten, 'which1 may beznioyed past .a given space, wherebyrthe inltormationi carried by the strip may :be brought-into' View in regular succession.` Anotherlobgect Y is to provide automatically operating: mech? anisrn iornnivinding the/sign striprfroma spool or drum, and Jforino-ving;thesignstrip past an exposiireopeningiii one direction to bring the advertisements, legend-s orother information, A.containedfon the `sign strip, intovieivinjregiilar. succession, and'l for automatically 4rewinding it upon rSaitlfSpGQlTOr. Y

drinn, and forv repeating!saidoperations iii- .Viith these yand otherobjects and advantages inlk View, this invention vconsists Yin a non-transparent, flexible strip'or rildnoin ros. vided niitlitransparent Words, letters, ciarf acters, or :pictures embracing `:advertisements, legends ormother information, which" may besnccessively brought 'mtos vieivf-at a given place,y f

It. further: consists in automaticlmeans `for movingra: signA strip oirlribb'on,v across `ani eX'- posure opening, to bring;.thefinorinat-ion carried thereby.- into view.y in regularsuo cession, whichr 'automatic means" *embracess'poolsoifV drums upon. Which the signstrip i or .ribbon :is yvonnd,` and. mech anisin fory nn- Winding it nponthe firstV spool` or drum, t.and repeating 4such@ operation indefinitely.4 ltl further. consists `.in fthe zseveral novel features..

of .construct-ion, arrangement and combina-l tion ofparts hereinafter 'lully described,l and claimed. y The invention #is clearly illustrated accompanying drawings", in which:

Fig. llis a"itr`oiit elevation' offa display sign embodying a Isimple form .of the presA they .tion` for the `sign` strip.

, vsiriaiyiiro.y .$10,473.v

' y 5- wpentfinvention; FigQis a horizontalsectionA Be it known that il, (EUGENE: H: MoGnn, a f

VieWfof the devicewith the backivfall thereA of. removed.;- Fig.` 4 is ifa detail cross-section taken on line 4 4; of Fig. 2;y Fig.; 5 is a de tail, ,crossgselction taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is adetail lioigrizontal section taken onlliiie 6;-6 oiriFigp; vlltg'ig... 7 isa perspective View oi'va certainclutch',ineclianisnifor one of .the Ispoolspor ldriifins; {Fig'` Sfis a detail face view ofthe sign strip, partly broken away and Figli) is` adetail vertical cross sect-ion thron'glithe `sign strip.v u u c Referring; to said drawings," which illustra-tes one embodiment ofthe iniieijition,' the reference character l() designates a' 'oase or cabine@preferably inthe `forni of aneloiigated box, having' atop 1l, bottoni" 1 2, front any siiit'ableA andysubstantialiinanner. i i

base portion ltiniay.begprovided 'for the case is desired.. f

Injtliev front -wall is termed' anrelon a panei/oi sheet. off l8- iiorniingvga Window t'hrouglifiihichaa portion.; of the sign stri'orribboni9isinadevisible.. y Y,

'Ihiie sign 'strip lor ribftion 19 :preferably i t,..lie:iible body l, Behind the `exposule opening-17 is la vre;

lector 23,Which is. supported from thecase orcabinet linf any snitablefinan'ner (agsfor instance, by'posts orbraces 24) (see Fig. 4)

and)v in said :reflector 4are a numberof I lamps 25, preferably of. the; incandescentgeleotnic type, -which ai'ord the necessary illumina- :The sign stri 19 is iCl-ired by tivo spools lgatediexposure .opening 17, behind; which is l aio or drums 26, 27, located adjacent the ends of the case, and in the operation of the device said strip is unwound from one spool and wound upon the other, to move the strip past the exposure opening, and thereby expose the information carried by the strip, through the exposure opening. Idle rollers 28 are journalled upon the case at places adjacent the rear face of the window beyond the exposure opening, and. the strip19 is trained around said rollers, and is thereby held in a Hat condition behind .the exposure opening.

The spools, or drums, are mounted on shafts 29, 30, which are journalled in bearing brackets 3l secured to the top and botw tom of the case.l In the form ofthe invention illustrated, the spool 26 is fast on its shaft 29, and the spool 27 is loosely mounted on its shaft v30, and supported thereon, as will appear later.

Motor operated mechanism is provided. for rotating said shafts 29, 30, and therewith the spools, to wind the strip upon one spool and unwind it from the other, and for reversing the motion, and therebyk rewind the strip on thespool from which it wasunwound, and unwind it fron` the one upon which it was wound, and for repeating said operations indefinitely, and the mechanism illustrated for accomplishing this result will now be described.

Mounted on the bottom of the oase, adjacent the spools are electric motors 33, 34, the shafts of which are geared to the shafts 29, 30, respectively, by speed reduction gearing, as will appear. The motor 33 is the rewind motor, that is to say, it rewinds the strip upon the spool 26 after it has been displayed, and the gearing between its mo tor shaft and the shaft 29, may comprise a bevel pinion 35 on the motor shaft and a bevel gear wheel 36 on the shaft 29, with which the bevel pinion 35 meshes. The ratio between the pinion and gearing is such that a comparatively slow movement is imparted to the shaft 29, as compared with mation contained on the strip.

that of the motor shaft. The motor 34 may be termed the winding motor, as its function is to slowly rotate the shaft 30 and spool 27, and thereby slowly move the film strip past the exposure opening to display the infor- The speed. reducing gearing between the motor shaft of the motor 34 and the shaft 30 may comprise a train of gearing, consisting of a bevel pinion .37 on the motor shaft, a bevel gear wheel 38, with which the bevel pinion 37 meshes, a spur pinion 39 fast with or integral with the bevel gear wheel 38, and a spur gear wheel 40 fast on the shaft 30. The spool 27 rests upon the spur gear wheel 40and is supported thereby. Y f

'The bevel gear wheel 38 and spur pinion 39 are rotatively mounted on a post or standard 4l secured to the bottom l2. The

reduction in speed is sufficient to cause the shaft 3G to rotate slow enough that the matter on the strip may be read with ease while passing the exposure opening.

In order that the motor 34 may remain at rest while the rewind motor 33 is in action, a `clutch mechanism is provided between the shaft 30 and spool 27 which will now be described. Slidably mounted on the shaftt) is a clutch collar 42`which is nonrotatively held on the shaft by a pin 43 that enters grooves 44 in the upper face of the collar 42. Said clutch collar is arranged to clutch with a clutch collar 45 fast onv the spool 27, and conveniently, the collar 42 may be formed with tongues 46 that are arranged to enter corresponding recesses 47 in the clutch collar 45, when in clutching engagement. l/Vhen the spool 27 isrotated in a rcverse direction, the clutch collars are automatically unclutched and held in unclutohcffl condition.

The means for unclutchingl the clutch collars 42, 45, when the spool 27 is rotated in a direction to unwind 'the strip therefrom, maycomprise clutch collar lifting cams 4S that engage with arms or projections 49 on the clutch collar 42. The cams 4S have inclined faces which are encountered by the arms 49, when the: shaft 30 is rotated in a direction to unwind the strip from its spool. The arms are thereby caused to ride up the inclined faces of the cams, thereby raising,"r the clutch collar 42, and permittingthe spool to rotate Without rotating the shaft 30, and motor 34. The cams 48 are movably supported, as for instance, they may be hingedly supported by plates 50 secured to the case, and ystops 5l are provided for holding said cams against movement in one direction, while permitting free movement in the other direction. Looking at Fig. 7, it will be observed that the shaft 30 is free to rotate in the direction of the arrow, and that the arms 49 will, when. the shaft is thus rotated, swing the cams upward and freely pass by them, but that when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, the arms will ride up the inclined faces of the cams and there by raise the collar 42, thus unclutching it from the collar 45.

y Fig. 3 shows the parts in a position occupied whenthe rewind motor has finished rewinding th'e strip or ribbon on the spool 26, and at the instant that the winding motor is set in action. Automatic means are provided for turning the electric current on to one motor and simultaneously turningit off the other one, and for reversing such action and said mechanism will now be described.

Adjacent the ends of the strip 19 are slots 52, 53, and in the cylindrical wall 54 of each drum is a slot 55 with which the slots of the strip register when the latter is wound OD.

' thefshouldered.end 5.7, it-draws the; arm56v forward against theactionlofaspring '7 8'. andthe latter CauSeSa braking .aetionon the.

the spool. Mounted adjacent each spool a. switch` ,actuatingi arm yWhieh is yeldingly heldagainstltheflm strip, and hasn shou dered `end 57 that isarrangedtojtrack on the strip. in vline withthe. slots 52 .53,-55and is drawnv into the slots .when `they areex; posed. The arrangement. of; the., parts 1s.

such thatwhen theslots are.. uneovered,-the,

shouldered end5'7. enters theslots, and they edge 5S-ofthe slot 55 o'lthespool encounters the shoulder and draws .the arm 56forward` and, ilthe momentum .of the `parts issuflt.

cient the continual rotation of,..tl 1,espool-.

will Cause the `shouldered.endet ,the arm; to

\ be swung out of the slots and ontotengage..

` has been shut. off. the aetingm-otor,` andy turned on the other one, andin such event, the spool is free. to Continue. its ;.-rotation Withouteausing any injury tofany of. the parts. By the timel it has madeone Irevolution fatter. `the currentV has been Ishut 40th, it

has slowed down, and. as .the :edge: 58. engages,

sp.o ol,stops itand .starts torotate, .it inthe reverse direction, ,thus-aiding, `the associated y motor,intameasuremn starting the reverse;

motion; or' the. spooLI 4The motors 33, .34, lare. controlled.l fromfa switch Aswhioh :isoperatedby the arms 56 The, switch '59 is ,preferably inthey form .of knife switch, .the blade 6 0 'of which `makesalternate. Contact with two; .Contact pieces 6l.. 62, Therireuit. for the motor .33 may begtraeedfrom .the main vconductors.v 63,. 566k,L throughthe Wires v6566.,.,to .onegsde oithe, switch-59, andthecreuit for'` thelmotor 34;. may be .traced Vfrom .the `main conductors 63, Q `66k,through' the wires 6.7 68,; to thetbther sidey otthefswitch, The switch actuating, arms arel connected to the knifeblade 6 0L by Wires,. ;gables or other connections 69,170.

lt. is evident. from the; above that `when Ithe switelractuating arm. at eitherr .spooljs drawn forward, the knife blade ,eo'rre.-\.

spondi'ngly.. nroved in y .the sanne. direction,

thereby `Clo.si1i,gf.the .circuit for thegmotoror. that spool.andopeningthe circuit,.forthe`v other; motor.

ning parallel. Withfthe .a-Xes...o.t' .the spools.`

Con-reniently., the, arms 5G;are.sslidably.`

Two. slots .152., V5.3, are4 .prefrolls deerease. .The guides may be tubular in form, if desired, and may have centrally. apertured heads 7 3 at,y one.,r end, through which the arms 56 are guided.. l j

The Varms-g areyieldingly held in coutaet Withtherollsonthe spoolsby ,Weights 77. connected tothe guides/.7l `by;flexible, oo nnections. such. as, cords, cables `or .the` like, which passlthrough eyes 79;

On vthelinner.. ends .of the` arms ,5.6` aredises. 74. to .which areffastenedthe switeh'eonnecf tionsy `69, TO, and the vconnections.75 tothe springs 78. A V,

As itis des' able to have, the. lamps, illuminate. the ,sign ,While the :strip ispasillg. in t the.v direction gto. display t-hainformation; thereon, the lamps -ma7 bewirechto `the lead wires 67, 68, of t.he .,rnotor,34. fy Ink theI oper( tion. v ofthe deyiee g and assuming... that the. rewind 1notor`, isrOtatingthe;

spool 26 to wind ,the strip thereon, when the.

slot at the .`.other'. end ..otQthe .strpis unfA covered, the ,shouldered end of .the assoleiated aotnating arm is `drawn into the ,slot ,of4 the spo.ol,t hel1edg e 55 of the. sloteneounters the shoulder and drawsgthe varm y56 forward against; the action'frth Spring578.,.therby, closing v.the .cirenitgto the.. 1no.tor 34e .aI-id open- `ingthe .eireuittothe rewind motor 33,., Ill

the momentum .ofthe partsis su'dieent, the. spool. .27 will continue`L to rotate until theg slot .5.3 reaches f. .the1-sheuldered f .end Of the arm: 5('3,`.,and the latter will, again, .enterl theI`- slot andthe. spoolwill,again,dranT tlie. .arm forward Lagainst theaetion fofthe spring 7 8, which then acts as a brake for 'the spooland starts it .in a reverse .direction-fthe.motor .34.

by this ,time also having started; During, the rewinding t of Vthe lstrip, the elutrhfmel'ra:

los

nsm 1121s..-1been inactive., but. assoon as-.the

meter 3.4 St-arts tQ.r`0tat. th .S9001 .Shaft 30.5 the clutch collar tais disengaged lro 1 n the, Camsi. and falls a into clutching engagement.

rio

. with fthe ,clutch .dollar ofi the, spool 2 7, thereby conn tingitfwth the. rotating,shaft,30

The strip is,thereb'yjslowly woundjon .f .the

. spooll27. and sloirly,r moved past the` 6531205111? opening,in,,iy the ease .untl., the. 5169,52, at `the In. order that theyswiteh. actuating arms 56may move outward from the sp0ols'fasjJ the rollthereon.increases indiameter, the arms are pivotally A supported, .on axes runT thereon, thegstrp commences tefrotate ...the shaltO infthe reyerse direction from Whih' it, was, rotatingwand the. ClutChffCollar is thereupon .immediately unclutched' frQIIMhQi collar 45 on the Spo0`l27thus. permittingy signv is thereby illuminated, but when the current is shut oli' from the motor 34 while the strip is being rewound on the spool 26, the current through the lamps is also shut ofi".

I claim as new and desire to Letters Patent: f

l. A display sign, comprising two spaced spools, a flexible display strip extending between said spools, and arranged to be wound thereon from one to the other and vice versa, the ends of said strip being secured to said spools, separate spool rotating mechanism for each spool, each including a motor and arranged to rotate one spool at a time in a direction to wind the strip thereon, and thereby unwind it 'from the other spool, and control mechanism for said motors, operating in conjunction with said strip to set the motor in motion for that spool -trom which the strip is unwound.

2. A display sign, comprising a case having an exposure opening in one wall thereof, two spaced spools in said case, a flexible display strip extending between lsaid spools behind said exposure opening and arranged to be wound thereon from one to the other and vice versa, the ends oi said strip being secured to said spools, separate spool rotating mechanism 'for each spool, each including an electric motor and arranged to rotate one spool at a time in a direction to wind the strip thereon, and thereby unwind it from the other spool, and control mechanism for each motor, including an electric switch for each motor, operating in conjunction with said strip to close the switch to the motor for that spool from which the strip is unwound. y

3. A display sign, comprising two spaced spools, each having a slot formed therein. a flexible display strip extending between said spools and arranged to be wound upon said spools from one to the other and vice versa, the ends of said strip being secured to said spools and the end portions of said strips having openings arranged to register with the slots in the spools, motor operated spool rotating mechanism for each spool arranged to rotate one spool at a time in a direction to wind the strip thereon, and thereby unwind it from the other spool, and control mechanism 'for said spool rotating mechanism, embracing two actuating arms, each engaging said strip and adapted to enter the slots in said strip and spool when they are uncovered, and co-acting with said spools when engaged thereby, to actuate the control mechanism, and set in motion the spool rotating mechanism for the spool which engages the actuating arm.

4C. A display sign, comprising two vspaced spools, a liexible display strip extending between said spools, and arranged to be wound upon said spools, from one to the other and secure by vice versa, the ends of said strip being secured to said spools and there being slots in said strip adjacent its ends, electric motor operated spool rotating mechanism for each spool, arranged to rotate one spool at a time in av direction to wind the strip thereon, and thereby unwind it Yfrom the other spool, a motor switch and switch actuatinO mechanism having two switch actuating members, vone for each spool and tracking on said strip in line with the slots on the end of the strip secured to the associated spool.

5. A display sign, comprising two spaced spools, each having a slot formed therein, a iiexible display strip extending between said spools and arranged to be wound thereon Jfrom one to the other and vice versa, the ends of said strip being secured to said spools, and there being slots in said strip adjacent its ends arranged to register with the slots in the spools, motor operated spool rotating mechanism, and electric motor control mechanism embracing a switch and two switch actuating arms, there being one arm associated with each spool and having a shouldered part arranged to enter the associated slots when uncovered, an arm being arranged to be actuated by its associated spool when its shouldered part enters the notch therein, to thereby effect a closing of the switch. Y 6. A display sign, comprising two spaced spools, each having a slot Yformed therein, a ilexible display strip extending between said spools and arranged to be wound thereon from one to the other and vice versa, the ends ofA said strip being secured to said spools, and there being slots in said strip adjacent its ends arranged to register with the slots in the spools, electric motors, one for each spool, gearing between each motor and its associated spool, a double contact switch, one side of which is in circuit with one motor and the other side in circuit with the other motor, two switch actuating arms, one associated with each spool and having a shouldered end arranged to enter the notch in the spool when uncovered, and engage with said spool, whereby said arm is moved by said spool in a direction-to close the circuit through the motor associated with said s ool.

7. n a display sign, two spaced spools, a display strip extending between said spools and arranged to be wound thereon trom one to the other and vice versa, motor driven, speed reducing gearing for each spool, clutch mechanism between one spool and its associated gearing operating to clutch the spool to the gearing only when the latter is motor operated, and motor control mechanism cooperating with said strip to set in motion the motor tor rotating the spool Lfrom which the strip is unwound.

8. In a display sign, two spaced spools, a

display strip extending between said spools 9. In ya display signJ a nonetransparent arranged to be Wound thereon from one to flexible strip,` formed with eut-outportions the other, and vioe versa, motor driven gearforming display matter7 and a' transparent 10` ing for each spool and `clutch mechanism beflexible backing strip adhesively secured tween one spool and `its associated gearing, thereto. operating to clutch the spool to the gearing only When the latter motor is operated. .EUGENE H. MCGEE.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby Certified that Letters Patent No. 1,430,394, granted to Eugene H. McGee, of Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement in Automatic Display Signs, were erroneously issued to the inventor, said McGee, and one-fourth to F. L. Barehard and one-fourth to James E. McCaiiery, both of Chicago, Illinois, as assignees, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said McGee, and one-fourth to James E. MoOaymg/ md one-fourth lo Albert J.

Massaro, both of Chicago, Illinois, as shown by the records of assignments in this ofiee; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein I that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiee.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of November, A. D., 1922.

[SEAL] KARL FENN ING,

Acli/ng ommdssz'oner of Patents,

Certificate of Correction. A It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 1,430,394, granted to Eugene H. McGee, of Chicago, Illinois, for an improvement in Automatic Display Signs, were erroneously issued to the inventor, said McGee, and one-fourth to F. L. Barohard and one-fourth to J ames E. MeGaffery, both of Chicago, Illinois, as assgnees, Whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor, said McGee, and one-fourth to James E. llt/Onfray mul one-fourth to Albert J. Massaro, both of Chicago, Illinois, as shown by the records of assignments in this oliiee; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Olliee.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of November, A. D., 1922.

[SEAL] KARL FENN ING,

A01/lng Commissioner of Patents, 

